Image Erasing Apparatus Residual Toner Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Erasable coloring materials used in image forming and erasing apparatuses leave residual toner on sheets, causing repulsion with mark coloring materials, leading to contamination and incorrect detection during reuse.
Innovation Solution
An image erasing apparatus with a scanning unit, erasing unit, marking unit, and control unit that determines the position for marking based on the number of erasures, using different properties of erasable toner and water-based ink to avoid contamination by shifting mark placement to areas without residual toner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the erasing apparatus erases the image by heating, then the image is erased from the sheet, but residual erasable toner remains on the sheet causing repulsion with mark coloring material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful residual toner from the sheet surface through a cleaning unit that uses a brush or cloth to physically remove the remaining erasable toner after heating erasure, preventing it from causing repulsion with subsequent mark coloring materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cleaning unit as an intermediary component between the heating unit and the marking unit, which mediates by removing residual toner to enable the marking unit to operate effectively without interference from remaining erasable material
2Loss of information
If the mark printing unit prints marks on the sheet, then the number of erasures is recorded, but marks are repelled by residual erasable toner leading to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary cleaning of residual toner from the sheet surface before the mark printing unit operates, ensuring that marks are printed on a clean surface without interference from remaining erasable toner, thus preventing contamination and ensuring accurate mark detection
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the cleaning unit uses a brush to remove residual toner, then contamination is prevented, but the transportation unit may be contaminated by the brush
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cleaning function from the transportation function by using a dedicated cleaning unit with a brush that is separated from the transportation unit, allowing the brush to clean the sheet without directly contacting the transportation unit, thus preventing cross-contamination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the cleaning unit as an intermediary between the sheet and the transportation unit, where the brush cleans the sheet surface without transferring residue to the transportation unit, acting as a protective barrier that prevents contamination of the transportation system
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents contamination of the transportation unit and ensures accurate detection of marks by placing new marks on areas free from residual erasable toner, maintaining the integrity of the sheet for reuse.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit configured to heat the erasable toner on the sheet
Implementation Method 2
a brush configured to contact the sheet and remove the residual erasable toner from the sheet
Data Source
AI summary
An image erasing apparatus includes a scanning unit configured to scan an image on a sheet and a mark printing area on the sheet where one or more marks may be printed, an erasing unit configured to erase the image from the sheet, a marking unit configured to put a mark on the sheet from which the image is erased, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to determine a number of the marks printed on the sheet based on the scanned mark printing area, determine an image area based on the scanned image, and determine a position of the mark to be put on the sheet by the marking unit based on the determined number of the marks and the determined image area.